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4th DUI: Man Charged In Fatal Crash
March 11, 2013
A Pace man with three previous drunken driving convictions was charged with DUI manslaughter Sunday morning in connection with a crash that killed a Milton man.
Stephen Craig Hughes, 52, was killed when his 2013 Harley was hit by a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 pickup driven by 39-year old James Ashley McGowan about 3 a.m. Sunday at Highway 90 at Smith’s Fish Camp Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The side of the pickup hit Hughes’ motorcycle, and Hughes was ejected into the side of the pickup.
The FHP said McGowan failed to observe Hughes approaching and made a left turn in front of him.
The on scene investigation revealed there was probable cause to arrest McGowan for driving under the influence of alcohol and causing the death of another, the FHP said. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $205,000.
Comments
19 Responses to “4th DUI: Man Charged In Fatal Crash”
…oh its a disease alright…and alot of people have it around here…cant go without a drink for a moments time before they eventually say i need a beer…glass of wine…a shot of whatever…so i can relax…not that i mind but hey, if youre going to drink…dont be selfish and put other people in harm of your “disease”…quarantine yourself by not driving…its simple as that…if there is something important you have to do the next day before you pick up your car/van/suv…then maybe drinking at the house wouold be a better method? just saying…
@hawghead , another thought in relation to the concept of Alcoholism as a disease, scientifically speaking, children of parents who drink are genetically predisposed to becoming alcoholics. It’s been scientifically proven for years. So there is a physical and emotional dependency that has a part in this problem “as a disease”. For some people it isn’t enough of a problem that it controls their life. For others, they might have enough of a problem with it, that they know if they drink there will be consequences, so they don’t drink to avoid problems. Other people are in a real battle. Everywhere they go when they drive, when they shop for groceries or when they buy gas, there is alcohol available and advertisements shoved in their face.
Society promotes alcohol consumption at every turn.
I’m in no way making excuses for drunks. They have to be accountable for all their damage. Unfortunately the rest of us have to clean up after them.
IMO, I think society has a moral obligation in regard to how alcohol is advertised and sold, like with cigarettes, we need some controls in place so we can have places to buy food and groceries that are not promoting mind and mood altering substances.
With Florida being a tourist oriented economy and with the money involved in advertising and alcohol, it is unlikely that any changes will occur too make any improvements to the problems. If there is a solution, it would be a very multifaceted solution from many different angles. The courts and the judges can’t fix it. The people have to get government to regulate all aspects of alcohol.
you are right paul, because the next adiction that is killing people on the road is texting while driving..
If he was sober and on a cell phone everybody would just be sayin “It was an accident”.. Why is it that people only become angry when the one at fault is drunk? I think Everybody should be held accountable for their actions even if they’re sober..
Ok question answered! HOW MANY TIMES DOES A drunkard get back on the road?????! Untill a family losses a loved one!
My prayers and deepest sympathy are with you Hunter and family and friends.Steve Hughs is my friend forever.I love him for the wonderful person he is .Truly a great person.WE WILL MISS YOU.GOD BLESS
Taking away their right to drive does no good because they just drive anyway. I personally believe that if they do loose that right and then kill someone driving drunk then the charge should be Murder.
Time for this drunk to be removed from society, at least 25 years of sobriety in a state prison
We lost a friend on Hwy 90 just two weeks ago. He was riding his motorcycle to work in Milton (east bound) when a 21 yr old kid made an illegal turn into the motorcycle. Kevin held on with life support for 6 days before giving up his fight. People really need to pay attention when driving and bar tenders should have never let this low life (above) into a car. So sad.
He was probably driving without a license. Half the people on these roads do not have a license or the insurance. They are habitual defenders and if they put every single person behind bars that could not drive their would probably be a hand full of decent drivers on the road. The jail would be full of these people. Sad another innocent victim had to die because this guy wanted to break the law.
His license could have been suspended. You don’t need a license to drive all you have to do is get in and drive. People do this all the time. They can take your license away for life and if you want to drive you will and suspending your license will not stop you from driving. It’s so sad this happened and his family will stand behind him for they love and care for him. I had family member the same way for years and the last time the judge said the next time you will have very long jail time. Individual has been sober for over 20 years.
hang him high
This is so sad! I agree with some of the above comments, but just let me say that his family has tried to get him into a rehab for several months and he was put on a waiting list. He should have never been given his license back and whatever judge did has the victims blood on his hands too! Not only did he ruin his own life by alcohol but he ruined his own families life, the victims life and all of his friends and families life! I am not going to throw stones but what I will do is continue to pray for everyone involved!
Keep the bars open 24/7, that way idiots like MR McGowan won’t be on the road, running down bikers at 3am on Sunday mornings.
That’s right. Take all our guns but make sure we can still buy alcohol.
Why was this person on the road in the first place? The law(s) are made to Uphold. Judges and Prosecutors should stop cutting deals and start implementing the Laws that are on the books. As a direct result of the State freeing a person who obviously violated the law multiple times, a Family will forever mourn the loss of their loved ones.
As long as the courts and society keep treating alcohol addiction as a disease this kind of stuff will not end….It is a choice to drink…If you are addicted it is your choice to overcome that addiction…It is not a disease…diabetes, cancer, MS….etc…those are diseases in which the person who has them has no choice…..Start treating alcoholics for what they are and not make them believe they have no choice then maybe we can start to get a hold on this problem…
straight up murder there and he should be charged as such. The judges who allow this crap to continue should be held accountable for it too. Maybe some steep fines for them would help? Oh, and add to that the ambulance chaser lawyers who continue to defend these fools and get them off with the slap on the wrist(or less)
I am surprised it took so long for this idiot to kill someone. How many DUI’s does it take before they actually do something about these habitual abusers? You get a DUI, you lose your license. Get a second, go directly to prison! They need to put this guy under the jail.